Russian foreign minister contradicts his deputy: Moscow not evacuating Syrian naval base

Russian foreign minister contradicts his deputy: Moscow not evacuating Syrian naval base

Special to WorldTribune.com MOSCOW — Russia, in yet another reversal of its military assistance to Syria, said operations at the naval base of Tartous were not hampered by the war against President Bashar Assad. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the Russian Navy would not evacuate its only foreign facility, located in the Syrian port […]

Moscow: Air defense support to Syria limited to ‘already signed contracts’

Moscow: Air defense support to Syria limited to ‘already signed contracts’

Special to WorldTribune.com MOSCOW — Russia has denied plans to export an advanced long-range air defense system to Syria. The Kremlin said Russia would not deliver the S-300PMU2 to the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Officials said Moscow has completed all air defense projects with Damascus. “Russia has sold and signed contracts a long […]

Korean Vortex: Reading the tea leaves

Korean Vortex: Reading the tea leaves

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — The increasingly ballistic bluster pouring out from Pyongyang and threatening South Korea, Japan and the USA, with nuclear attacks has jolted East Asia into “paying attention.” Perhaps that’s the real intent of Kim Jong-Un, the new and untested Marxist monarch of the quaintly titled “Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.” […]

Syria: From Schadenfreude to an out-of-control crisis

Syria: From Schadenfreude to an out-of-control crisis

John J. Metzler UNITED NATIONS — All of Syria’s five neighboring countries sensed a quiet pleasure in seeing the rebellion against the Damascus dictatorship start two years ago. Many observers, knowing the authoritarian political pedigree of the Assad family rule, probably assumed Syria’s entrenched but moribund political system would be swept away by the winds […]

Russia admits shipping attack helicopters to Syria and will try again

Russia admits shipping attack helicopters to Syria and will try again

Special to WorldTribune.com MOSCOW — For the first time, Russia has acknowledged to shipping offensive military platforms to Syria. The Kremlin said a Russian cargo ship tried to deliver three Mi-24 attack helicopters to the regime of President Bashar Assad. And the Russian government said they will be shipped again. The cargo ship, identified as […]

Geostrategy-Direct: Russia opposes hasty pullout, offers NATO access to supply air base

Geostrategy-Direct: Russia opposes hasty pullout, offers NATO access to supply air base

Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com In a surprise move, a senior Russian official said on March 14 that the country may allow NATO to use an air base in southern Russia as a hub to transport supplies to Afghanistan. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also said that it might not be wise […]

Moscow’s arms to Syria would prevent NATO op of kind used in Libya

Moscow’s arms to Syria would prevent NATO op of kind used in Libya

Special to WorldTribune.com Compiled by Miles Yu, Geostrategy-Direct.com The regime of Syria’s Bashar Assad has been receiving a steady supply of weapons from Russia to boost its military capability and maintain its survival in the face of growing international condemnation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended his country’s arms shipments to Damascus. “We don’t supply […]

Regime security, not national security, is dominant priority in Beijing and Moscow

Regime security, not national security, is dominant priority in Beijing and Moscow

Sol W. Sanders Minxin Pei, the most original of current Sinologists, makes the point authoritarian/totalitarian regimes inherently prioritize requirements for protecting regime leaders over long-term national interest. To preserve the former’s power, they sacrifice the latter’s needs. In the process, they encourage breakdown in the world order. Beijing is now demonstrating the phenomenon in spades. […]

Assad ramps up counter-offensive as senior Russians arrive in Damascus

Assad ramps up counter-offensive as senior Russians arrive in Damascus

Special to WorldTribune.com NICOSIA — President Bashar Assad has launched what the opposition termed a sustained counter-insurgency campaign to quell the revolt throughout Syria. Meanwhile, defectors reported exhaustion within the Assad regime which, on Feb. 7, was scheduled to conduct high-level consultations with the Kremlin. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he and Foreign Intelligence […]

Russia vows to continue arms deliveries to Syria: ‘no restrictions’

Russia vows to continue arms deliveries to Syria: ‘no restrictions’

Special to WorldTribune.com MOSCOW — Russia said it intends to complete additional weapons deliveries to the embattled regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad. The Kremlin said Moscow would fulfill several unidentified defense contracts with Syria in 2012. Officials said Russian weapons exports to Damascus have not been banned by the United Nations. “As of today […]